


Silver and Gold

by pentaink



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexuality, F/M, Internalized Acephobia, Internalized Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26244727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pentaink/pseuds/pentaink
Summary: Things are looking up for Aang after the 100-year war. He's got a new home in Republic City, a loving girlfriend, and a group of supportive friends who would never leave his side. However, it seems like some of them are having their own problems. Toph seems quiet for once, Sokka is maybe a little too oblivious, and Zuko definitely shouldn't be coming over as much as he does. Maybe everyone living together under one roof was a bad idea.Rated teen and up for swearing and adult dialogue.
Relationships: Aang & Katara (Avatar), Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 41





	1. Twilight

Aang lifted the last boxes out of Sokka’s car and started walking up the driveway. It was strange to be able to call the huge house that stood before him a home. In fact, it was strange to call anything home after 100 years of hiding away. 

It was a beautiful mid-century modern mansion, with a long driveway lined by bushes and ivy. A soft glow emanated from inside, where he could look through a wall of windows to see Katara, Sokka, and Toph all helping to unload the trucks. Crickets sang as Aang felt his feet slap against the pavers, stepping up to the inside of the house. The humid air hung around him as he stepped into his new home.

After Republic City was founded, the Air Acolytes insisted that the Avatar needed a place to stay. They offered up an island in a secluded spot off the coast of the city, with a beautiful view of the night. Aang refused at first, but his friends convinced him that Team Avatar was better than a hotel room each night, so he eventually gave in. He had to admit the island was beautiful. There were forests, rivers, and hills while still being small enough to enjoy. He and Toph earthbent a bridge to the mainland on their first day there. 

As he stepped onto the stoop, Katara opened the door with a smile. They were about the same height now, and she kissed his cheek as he walked in, setting the box on a pile of others. Sokka had already turned on music, and he and Toph were sliding around the floor in their socks. 

“I can’t even see in these things!” Toph held on to the wall as she tried to maintain her balance. 

Sokka took a running start and slid nearly all the way out the door. Aang jumped back as he came to a stumbling stop, his nose inches from the glass. “Apparently, I can’t either!”

Katara smiled, taking a pair of scissors off the counter, and started to cut open the boxes. “Maybe you two could slide your way over to the pizza place? It should be ready to pick up by now.”

Sokka tossed and caught his keys in the air and slid his feet into his sandals. “Toph, you coming?”

Toph seemed more relieved than ever to take off the socks. She tossed them to Katara, who held them, disgusted, at arm’s length. “Let’s go, boomerang boy!” Aang watched the pair leap into Sokka’s car, souped up with color-changing lights and a surround sound system. They sped away into the twilight. 

Katara wrapped her arms around Aang’s waist and he held her back. They rocked back and forth for a while, relaxing from the stressful move. Republic City might have been fun for Sokka and Toph, but Aang felt like he was going to lose his mind if he saw one more flashy billboard. He rested his head on Katara’s shoulder.

“Long day,” she chuckled, rubbing circles on his back. 

Aang smiled, happy to shut his eyes for a few seconds. Eventually, Katara changed the playlist from Sokka’s to hers, and the couple sat together, opening boxes. Peach Pit was playing in the background as Aang lifted plates onto shelves and photos onto the mantle. Sure, dates were fun, and Aang loved kisses, but these were the moments he cherished most: simply being able to _exist_ with Katara. He remembered the little scowl she made when she couldn’t find her pencil, or the way she braided her hair in the morning. It was truly the little things, he thought, that made him love her. Then, all too soon, Sokka burst in the door with the pizza. 

He kicked off his shoes and Toph collapsed on the couch, reaching forward for the TV remote. She queued up some action movie, and the kids all snuggled up together to watch. Toph pulled the cheese off her pizza and handed it to Sokka, who added it to his own. It was a common ritual between them: whenever Toph got something with dairy, it went to Sokka. Aang smiled to himself, closing his eyes as he laid back on the sectional…

_Ring!_ The doorbell. 

Katara sat up to get it, and looking through the peephole, she could see a familiar scarred face.

“Zuko!” 

The two exchanged a hug, and Sokka thumped a spot on the couch next to him. “There’s plenty of room if you want some pepperoni!” 

Zuko mumbled something along the lines of “I already ate” but that didn’t stop him from kicking back with the rest of the group. There was some fighting between Toph and Sokka about who sat next to who, but eventually, Sokka seemed to win. “Besides!” he reasoned, “It’s a Water Tribe sandwich! Me, Zuko, Katara!”

“Some sandwiches have more than one ingredient,” Toph said, stuffing more garlic knots into her mouth.

Aang and Katara smiled. Aang noticed that Zuko seemed flushed, whether it was from all the attention, or the red pepper flakes, he couldn’t tell. He shot Katara a glance, and she returned it. Something was off.

The rest of the night went smoothly. There were only minor debates about whether or not something was a plot hole or Sokka had just fallen asleep during the movie, or Katara being sure she’d seen that actor before but just wasn’t sure where. Aang watched, amused. Mostly, he was zoning out. The responsibility of being the Avatar had really set in. Here he was, in a city he founded, in a house built for him, after a war that he ended, at 13 years old. It all seemed so surreal. 

When the others were clearing the plates, Katara noticed Aang’s glazed eyes. She helped him up and into his room, a serene space with fireplace and water feature. He could feel Katara looking at him. “It’s perfect.” There was a place for every element. The Acolytes had thought of everything. 

The pair sat down on the unmade bed. Aang laid back, grateful for some peace and quiet. “You noticed Zuko, too, right?”

“How could I not?” Katara joined him on her side. “He was redder than the pizza sauce,” she joked. They lay in silence, staring at each other. Aang was lost in her bright blue eyes.

She smiled wide, giving him a quick peck on his arrow before standing up and closing the door. “Let me know if you need anything, sweetie.”

“I will,” Aang replied, collapsing on the soft, unmade mattress. He could feel the bass from Sokka’s music downstairs coming through the floor, rhythmic and calming. He fell into the deepest sleep of his life on the bare mattress.


	2. Oasis

Zuko awoke to the sweet sound of sizzling coming from the kitchen next to the living room. He gently opened his eyes and saw Sokka humming to himself and cracking an egg over the pan. Half-unpacked boxes littered the floor, and the clock on the microwave read 6:07 AM. How long did Sokka sleep? Zuko rose from the bed, rubbing the sleep out of his right eye, and took off the blanket that had mysteriously appeared in the night. He was still in his jeans and sweatshirt from last night. The sun was about to rise, and a single light illuminated the kitchen island, where Zuko watched Sokka’s hands skillfully chop green onions. 

Sokka looked up and saw Zuko standing up from the couch. “Up a little early?”

“You’re one to talk,” Zuko yawned, tossing the blanket back onto the sectional and walking up to the island. He leaned his elbows on the counter and held his head in one hand, ruffling his hair with the other. “What are you even doing up at six?”

Sokka wiped his knife on the towel draped over his shoulder. “I’ve been going on walks around the island every morning. Aang made a path a little while ago, and it’s the perfect temperature early in the morning. If you want,” Sokka put the knife back into a knife block still in a box, “you could join me today.”

Zuko smiled. Sokka’s deep blue eyes had slight bags, a result of what Zuko thought had to be less than five hours of sleep. He had shaved his undercut a few days ago, and it was slightly growing in. He had amazing hair… 

“Only if you want.” Sokka seemed to take Zuko’s silence as a no, returning to the omelette on the stove. 

“No, no. I mean, yes. I mean, yeah. I’ll come! It’ll be fun!” Zuko felt his face grow warm. He turned away to one of the boxes, hiding his face as he opened and helped unpack the kitchen supplies inside. 

“Great.” The two worked in silence as the sun shone bright red light through the wide windows. It was morning again. Zuko unpacked a few backs of coffee grounds, and as he was putting them in the pantry, Sokka noticed. “Hey, that sounds good. Mind putting a pot on?”

Zuko nodded, finding a pot and heating it while pouring in the grounds. Muscle memories kicked in from his time at the Jasmine Dragon. Of course, coffee wasn’t as popular as tea and uncle’s “boba,” but there was always a customer needing a little more caffeine in their system. Zuko watched the stove while Sokka flipped the omelette. He was careful not to get in the chef’s way, never wanting to be a bother, but he watched as Sokka’s hands worked quickly and skillfully flipping and serving the omelette, muscular and callused from years of working with his boomerang and club. During their adventures, Sokka had gladly told him all about his training in the Southern Tribe, how his father had taught him how to hunt before he went to war. He told him another story now, about how Suki had taught him how to make the perfect omelette. 

“She’s wonderful. She’s amazing! I can’t think of a single thing I even remotely dislike about her,” Sokka said as he slid the omelettes onto two plates, handing one to Zuko. That was one thing Zuko disliked: when he talked about Suki. She was a nice girl, sure, but come on. Can’t moments like this be saved for friends? Just two, good, platonic, close, friends. Geez.

After Sokka burned his tongue on the coffee, and Zuko finished it off for him, a brisk, early autumn breeze greeted them outside. The leaves on the trees of the island were still deep green and the grass was tinted frosty with dew. Sokka led Zuko to a small trail out the back of the backyard. The sun leaked through the trees, dappling the undergrowth with silver morning light. It played on Sokka’s skin, smoothing him over and giving his shadows a gray sheen. Zuko followed behind him, hands in his jeans, careful to duck down under the low-hanging branches. Sokka, of course, had no problem with them, talking more about Suki as Zuko avoided getting his face full of dew. 

“I think she’s coming up to visit next weekend. It’ll be so nice to see her again. I don’t think I’ve seen her in a month? No, two weeks. Maybe three?”

Zuko looked down. Why did Sokka always have to talk about girls? Did girls do this with boys? It was more than a little annoying. Zuko kicked a rock. 

Mai had broken up with him again a few weeks ago. He cringed remembering the conversation that had taken place when he left for Republic City. Maybe this breakup was for good. 

“One week! I remember now because I was looking at my grocery shopping schedule, and I pick her up at the airport exactly an hour and thirty-three minutes after I come home from that. Of course, that depends on traffic and everything, but-”

“Sokka.” Zuko interrupted, more under his breath than anything. 

Sokka surprisingly stopped talking for a few seconds. “Right. Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up anything about the breakup, or anything. Sorry. Right. Okay.” 

Zuko held up a hand, as if to say, _it’s fine _. The pair walked in silence for a little while longer.__

__Less than five minutes had passed when Zuko’s feet began to touch stone. There was a structure here. He looked down at the stone underneath his feet._ _

__Solid limestone stretched for yards in front of him, when it stopped abruptly, dropping down about 20 or so feet to a crystal-clear pond underneath. The water was so clear, Zuko could see the trails of snail-lotls at the bottom in the sand. The trees grew sweeping around them, almost enclosing them in dappled sunlight, red with the new dawn. There were flowers and mushrooms growing at the edge of the forest, encircling and encroaching on stumps and trunks of long-forgotten trees. Something was enchanting about this place. He looked over to Sokka, who was sitting with his legs hanging off the side of the small cliff. Zuko walked over to join him._ _

__“It’s a cool spot, right?”_ _

__Zuko nodded. He could see out from the island, the tops of the trees barely tickling the growing skyline of Republic City, but he was sure that no one could really see in unless they happened to be right above the pond._ _

__“I’m really glad I could come here with you. It’s cool to be friends,” Sokka said._ _

__“Yeah,” Zuko smiled. “Friends.”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's better than this? Just a couple of guys being dudes. Bros being pals.


	3. Conversations

Toph tossed her hair in a messy bun and slid the headband onto her head. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get her bangs to stay back and out of her eyes, not that it really mattered. She sighed and could feel them tickle her forehead. 

Everything in her room had lovingly been made of stone, per Aang’s request. Marble floors ran from her room, down the stairs, and through the hallway outside, and she could feel the glass door opening. Shoes were walking in, but whose feet were in them? There was some muffled talking, a joke, and then an awkward laugh. Zuko and Sokka. Toph pulled on her bomber jacket and hustled downstairs. 

“What food group are eggs in, anyway?” Sokka appeared to be deep in thought.

“They’re protein. Like peanuts and stuff,” Zuko said.

“No, peanuts are nuts.”

“Are nuts a food group?”

“It’s my favorite dumbasses!” Toph gave Zuko a hearty punch to the shoulder. 

“Toph! You actually woke up before noon today,” Sokka joked.

“I happen to have a very important date,” Toph puffed out the front of her jacket.

“Who’s the lucky person?”

“Not a person, my dear Sokka,” Toph grinned, “a dragon. Boba’s on me today.”

“Woohoo!” Sokka tossed his car keys in the air and grabbed them again. “Zuko, you coming?”

“It would be nice to see Uncle again,” Zuko said. Right on cue, his phone rang. “Oh shit.”

“Oh no,” Sokka muttered.

“Who is it?” Toph asked.

“One second, guys.” Zuko stepped outside to answer his phone. Toph could hear him pacing and stopping erratically. She and Sokka waited inside for him to finish the call. Eventually, he stepped back in. “Sorry about that.”

“What did she say?” Sokka asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

“Not much. I think she just wanted to listen to me.”

“And what did you say?”

“Some stuff about this being final, me needing space and some time. Just normal things.”

“Who was it?” Toph repeated. 

Sokka comforted Zuko, putting a hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be okay, I’m sure she’ll take the hint this time.”

“Thanks.” 

Toph walked past them, pulling on her roller skates and skating outside. She thought back to when Sokka designed them: the day before the invasion. 

_He handed her a pair of boots, silky smooth leather. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to keep them in perfect condition. I already ripped them up a bit.” Sokka guided her hand to the bottom of the shoe, where she felt a rocky sole. “I took out the soles and replaced them with metal. For a non-metalbender, they’d be pretty heavy, but I’m sure you’ll have no problem with them.” Sokka took her hand again, bringing it to another part of the boot. From what she had felt, his hands were callused and rough. Sometimes she could feel the bones showing through the back, lean and muscular. Katara had gushed about Aang’s soft hands, and she knew that Suki loved the skill of Sokka’s. So why didn’t she care?_

Toph gave the metal wheels a test spin, speeding up and slowing down in the driveway. She loved how she could feel the entire island through the skates, all the twists and turns of each winding path. She felt the glass door open again, and Sokka and Zuko walked out. 

“I’ll race you there,” Toph teased. 

Sokka unlocked the doors of his car. “You’re on, bandit.”

Toph revved up the wheels of her skates and shot off down the driveway, wind whipping past her face as she shot down the asphalt. She felt dust kick up underneath her, residue from her squealing wheels as she climbed in speed, 10, 20, 30 miles an hour. The whole of Republic City came into view as she shot down the bridge connecting Avatar Island to the mainland. Toph made a quick turn out of the port and moved down through the streets of the city. 

Cars were tricky. Toph couldn’t feel the vibrations coming from the metal shells of the vehicles, but she could feel the road rumbling beneath her skates as they approached. Aang had urged her a thousand times to _just please keep on the sidewalks, they’re there for a reason,_ but at the speeds Toph was going, it would just be easier to skate through the streets. 

Toph weaved between lanes as the lazy midday traffic honked incessantly, either at her or the other drivers. When they saw what happened after Aang had to pick her up the first time, people had learned not to try and stop her, though there was the occasional tourist who got (reasonably) freaked out by a four-foot tall girl roller skating off the top of their car. 

She finally came to a skidding halt at The Jasmine Lion-Turtle, the most well-reviewed cafe in the entire city. As usual, the line stretched out the door and around the block, but Toph rolled around the corner and pushed open the back door. 

The smell of hundreds of different teas and spices assaulted her nose as she walked in, along with the usual onslaught of cafe chatter. Used to the noise by now, she listened carefully until one jolly, wise voice made its way through the others. “And one strawberry milk for the little one, will you want whipped cream on top?”

“Uncle Iroh!” Toph rolled up to the man behind the register, dodging various baristas and bakers as she made her way to the counter.

“Toph!” Uncle Iroh jumped as she socked him on the shoulder. “Maybe a little lighter next time, eh? These bones aren’t getting younger!” 

“Right. Sorry.”

“Here’s your change, ma’am.” There was a clink of coins and a rustle as the lady Iroh was serving dropped her coins into her purse and walked to wait with her son outside. “One second please,” Iroh said to the next customer. He turned to Toph. “I’ve been meaning to ask you to please stop coming behind the counter. It gets busy back here and the inspector got very angry with the last heap of dust he found.”

Toph grinned apologetically. “My bad.”

“You can just head upstairs whenever you want to, my doors are always open.” Toph could tell Iroh was smiling. She swerved back through the workers and gripped the railing to walk upstairs. Although there was tile in the main cafe area, the building had hardwood floors the rest of the way up, and she had been disappointed to learn Sheetrock was not actually made of rock. She silently thanked Sokka for being so adamant about the railing. 

There were people already inside the apartment when Toph reached the top of the stairs. She kept her hand on the wall to walk over to the door, pulling it open and listening to see who was inside.

Zuko was desperately trying to convince Sokka of something. “No, eggs aren’t grain, what are you ta-”

“You guys beat me?” Toph rolled up to the tea table where Zuko and Sokka were kneeling and apparently continuing their conversation from earlier. “I even used the alley between Miyuki and 14th!” 

“And we used a little something called Google Maps,” Sokka teased, pushing a cup of boba towards her. She touched the table and then knelt down, taking the cup from his hand. Something simple this time: taro milk tea with extra tapioca, but something tasted off.

“This is soy milk, isn’t it?” Toph asked.

“No,” Zuko mumbled around his straw. He was lying. 

“Oh, okay then.” Toph suppressed a smile. They did this every time. She wasn’t mad about the switch, actually; she’d rather have soy milk than be cramping all day. And sure, it was nice to know her friends cared about her. Or maybe Zuko was just thinking of the time she threw up at an important council meeting. 

Zuko took out his phone after a few seconds of silence. “Screw it, I’m looking it up.”

“No, we have to figure it out ourselves!” Sokka pleaded. 

“Look, it’s meat. I told you!” 

“Eggs aren’t meat!”

“Of course eggs are meat!” Toph butt in. “What else would they fucking be?”

“Oh, because the chickens fuck.” Sokka seemed lost in thought. “There’s a cock joke in there somewhere…”

Toph felt Zuko’s heart rate speed up. What was going on?

Iroh suddenly opened the door. He smelled strongly of espresso. “Sokka, I need your help. One of the machines…”

Sokka stood up and followed Iroh out the door. “Don’t any of you two fuckers drink my boba while I’m gone, alright?”

“Okay, extra syrup! I can feel my teeth hurting already!” Toph called after him as he headed downstairs. She turned to Zuko. “I’ve never even seen him get a sugar high.”

“He’s so desensitized to the sweetness, I don’t think his body registers it anymore,” Zuko laughed. 

“So what’s up between you two? I can feel how hot your face is from here.”

“What do you mean?” Zuko poked his straw around the ice at the bottom of his drink.

“The dick joke. You never blush when I make them.”

“It’s nothing. Sokka’s just a cool guy. I…” Zuko thought for a second. “I’m really glad I’m his friend. It’s weird. When I first joined you guys, I really wanted to become his friend? And now I am? And it’s nice. To have a really good friend.”

“Makes sense to me.” Toph slurped down the rest of her boba. She felt the same way about Sokka at first, too, and when she thought of it, she thought she wanted to date him. But as the weeks went on, she realized she had never had a real friend before, and was confusing that for attraction. Toph was glad Zuko already had it figured out. No romance there.

“He talks about Suki _so much,_ though.”

“Exactly!” Toph sat up. “Like, we get it. You bone.”

“Not even that,” Zuko added, “this is friend time. You’re hanging out with friends. Put the girl away.”

“You took the words right out of my mouth.” Toph and Zuko clinked their cups and laughed about Sokka as the lunch rush died down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOAH i really do be writing though. can you tell i love toph lmao  
> i have some very very good things planned for both this and my other fic _Kids To You,_ so please stick around and check things out! comments and kudos very much appreciated ^^


	4. Iced Tea and Ice Tears

Katara rolled over and watched Aang’s silhouette traced by the light of the window. In the early morning light, she could just barely make out his tattoos. She smiled and put an arm around him, pulling his warm body closer. He let out a sleepy noise as his eyes fluttered open. 

Katara had always noticed Aang’s eyelashes. She guessed it was just a thing that boys have way better eyelashes, but Aang’s were long and soft. She brushed one of those long eyelashes off his cheek now as he reached up to hold her face in his hands. 

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

They lay together in silence for what felt like days. Katara looked at the wrinkles already forming on Aang’s forehead and around his eyes. He brushed back a strand of hair behind her ear, and she loved him. The kiss was gentle: light, and soft, and brimming with emotion, like every kiss should be. Katara felt the flutter of those eyelashes against hers. 

Downstairs, Katara poured an iced tea and watched Aang make breakfast for the two of them. He was getting to be tall, and she and Toph had suspected he might even outgrow Sokka. He had definitely hit his growth spurt over the summer. As he worked, blending dal and salt, she noticed just how quiet he had become. Sokka and Zuko were out of the house, and Toph was still asleep upstairs, but still, Aang usually had some funny dream he liked to tell her about.

“Any weird Avatar dreams last night?” Katara asked, thoughtful. She set down her iced tea on the counter.

Aang started looking through the cabinets for salt. “Not really.” 

“Hm.” Katara felt off. There was something hot in her stomach, a little nudge that something was wrong. “Anything you want to talk about?”

Aang stopped, staring into the empty cabinet he had just opened. He closed it carefully, gently letting it shut.

Katara got up, walked around the counter, and took his hand in hers. He was crying. She brushed the cold tear off his face, wiping it on her pajamas. “It’s okay.”

“It’s not.”

“Careful, you’re sounding like Zuko,” she chuckled. “What happened?”

“I outgrew my shoes.”

“Hey, that happens.” Katara found a tissue and handed it to him. “We can get you a new pair, I’m sure that Republic City has-”

“We can’t.”

“Oh.” Katara realized. 

“It’s a specific pattern and style, the soles are grippy but thin, and there’s no laces,” Aang said, almost more to himself than Katara.

“Airbender style.”

Aang nodded, wiping his tears away with the back of his hand. “I should have listened, when the monks told me, I should have listened…”

Katara offered a hug that Aang didn’t return. Instead, he reached a hand up into her hair, and rested his cheek on her head. His body rocked with small sobs, and she felt the warmth of his chest against her body. Her hands traced the scar on his back. “You didn’t know.” She repeated, “you didn’t know.”

“And now I can’t even make idlis right, because I forgot if you blend the rice or not, and how much water you add, and I’m never going to know…”

“Hey.” Katara looked up at him. “It’s okay.”

“It’s not! Don’t you understand? I have to remember, I can’t let it be lost and forgotten!”

“What if it’s time to make our own traditions?” Katara offered.

“This isn’t for you, Katara.” Aang said softly, pulling away from the embrace and putting his hands in his pants pockets. “This is for me. For once. And maybe…”

“Aang.”

“For our kids?”

Katara’s eyes widened. She knew she loved Aang, and she knew she wanted kids, someday. But she was sixteen. He was fourteen. Was this really the time to be thinking about that? “Aang, I…”

“Sorry. That was weird.” Aang pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s a conversation for later, and I didn’t mean to put that pressure on you. I’m going to be upstairs. With my shoes.” He left.

Katara stood alone in the kitchen. For the first time that morning, she noticed a cold breeze from outside. The door was still open. She walked outside into the morning and shut it. 

Sitting on the porch swing, Katara took some time to process the morning. It wasn’t even eight o’clock and she was already thinking about this? She loved Aang, she really did, but kids? At sixteen? What would her father think?

It was possible Aang was referring to something long-term. That made her happier, and a bit more at ease. It was strange, being able to look into the future and expect something. For the past eight years, whether it was another Fire Nation raid or the invasion, something upcoming and violent always occupied her mind. A long life of peace was just what she wanted and had been trying to achieve for so long. She could imagine it, growing old here, in Republic City with Aang, maybe a few kids running around the island. Katara could already smell the summer breeze… 

“So, this leads to King Bach pulling out a massively large spoon. We’re talking comically oversized here.” Sokka and Zuko emerged from the forest, Sokka going on about something probably only he and Toph truly understood. Zuko seemed to be hanging onto his every word.

“Hey, boys!” Katara waved from the porch.

“Katara!” Sokka sped up to walk over, asking how she slept and how the night was while Zuko waited behind him, occasionally throwing in a word or two.

“What did you guys make for breakfast, then?” Katara asked.

Sokka responded, “An omelette.”

“Oh, you do love your protein, huh, Sokka?” Katara teased.

“Are eggs protein?” Zuko asked.

“No, they’re their own thing. Right?” Sokka and Zuko continued their conversation as they headed inside. Katara laughed, stretched, and then walked around the back of the house to the pool, where she changed into her bending clothes in the pool house. She warmed up for the day with some basic waterbending forms, feeling the push and pull of the water. Every so often, her eyes would dart up to Aang’s window. Whenever Katara would usually practice forms, it wasn’t uncommon for Aang to be watching, but his smile was absent for now. Katara could almost swear the day seemed just a little bit darker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little bit of a more angsty chapter this time. Aang is my BOY and i hate to see him sad but also,,,,, i'm a writer lmao
> 
> It'd mean a lot to me if you checked out my other fics, Kids to You and a new ATLA band AU, Flight of the Elements! 
> 
> Please leave comments with suggestions, what you like, inaccuracies, or anything! Reading your comments really makes my day, and I respond to each one :)


	5. Oasis pt. 2

“You’re just spamming B! This game is about strategy!” Zuko was leaning on the edge of Sokka’s bed, eyes glued to the TV as he watched Samus throw bomb after bomb at Joker.

“Spamming B IS a strategy!” Sokka was equally as engaged, leaning to the side to get a better angle.

“Hit him.” Toph popped another cheese ball in her mouth.

“I have you! I literally win. I win.” Sokka chanted, almost standing up at this point.

“No no no no no NO!!” Zuko dropped his controller on his lap as Joker fell to his doom underneath the platform. 

“Good game, guys!” Aang had been silent most of the game, but he occasionally chirped in with advice. Zuko and Sokka had to ban him from playing after he beat both their asses multiple times. He was surprisingly good for not growing up on the game like Zuko or Sokka had.

Zuko took a break from playing to eat. They definitely were not eating dinner tonight, at least not formally. Bowls of popcorn, cheese balls, and other foods Aang had to beg Katara for sat on the floor, almost empty at this point. Zuko groped for some grapes, flopping on Sokka’s bed. Aang didn’t seem to be eating.

“Hey, Aang. Something up?” Sokka slid off his bed onto the floor. The blue-white light of the ranking screen was the only light in the room, aside from the moon outside. It reflected off his brown skin. Zuko ate another grape.

Aang shrugged. “Nah. Just not hungry.”

“I’ll let you kick my ass with Kirby,” Sokka offered. 

Aang chuckled and crossed his legs.

There was a gentle knock on the door as Katara opened it, ready for bed. Her chocolate brown hair fell to her waist and almost to the bottom of her nightgown. Zuko wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to seeing her without her hair loopies. “I’m heading to bed. You boys…”

“Katara, we don’t have anything to do tomorrow. We’ll sleep in--” Sokka argued.

Katara raised her eyebrows, arms crossed. “I was going to say stay up as long as you want.”

Zuko watched as Sokka and Toph executed the most intricate handshake he’d ever seen. Aang stretched and stood up. “I think I’ll join you. I’m not feeling it tonight.”

“Aww…” Toph pouted.

“Sorry guys.” Katara waved goodnight and closed the door behind them.

Zuko rolled onto his side and propped his head up with his palm. He watched as Sokka crouched down in front of the Wii and replaced Smash Ultimate with Mario Kart. Zuko’s eyes traced the seams of his shirt, an old tee he had cut the sleeves off of. He had strong shoulders...

“Sokka, doesn’t it bother you that Aang’s probably having sex with Katara?” Toph said casually. Zuko felt his palm get hot. He took it off his face to avoid another scar.

Sokka sat back on the bed, next to Zuko. “He’s a good kid. She’s her own person. That’s their business.”

“Hm.” Toph searched for the bowl of cheese balls. 

Zuko sat up, his back against the footboard of Sokka’s bed. He crossed his arms, more to hide his hands than anything else; they were still smoking. “It’s a little weird.”

Sokka put his hands up. “Hey, don’t look at me. Like I said, their thing.” He picked up the controller. “Are we playing Mario Kart or not?”

After a few rounds, the trio fell silent. It was nearing the time of night where, unless you had a paper to work on or an Avatar to catch, it was hard to stay awake. There was the occasional comment from Sokka when he got a particularly good mystery item, but Zuko was silent. He looked over at the light of the screen on Sokka’s face.

It reflected in his eyes, firm and focused. The blue was stunningly bright. He remembered the first day they had met, holding with frozen fingers onto the thick steel chain of his ship’s anchor. He had looked into those icy blue eyes with malice and anger, not with… whatever he was feeling right now. He looked back to the screen.

More rounds passed, and it grew even quieter in the room. Even Toph had fallen asleep, a lump on the floor. Sokka noticed this and paused the game, getting up and lifting her into his arms bridal-style. Toph didn’t wake, but she curled closer into his chest. She looked smaller in sleep, drowning in a t-shirt much too big for her body. Zuko stood up and opened the door to let them through. He followed Sokka to Toph’s room, taking note of the still silence in the air that was only broken by soft footsteps. Sokka’s back muscles flexed as he pulled Toph closer to him. Zuko was suddenly awake. 

In her room, Zuko watched as Sokka tucked her in. She was much softer-seeming without a scowl on her face. As Sokka stood back up, she seemed to relax. He leaned back, and his shoulder was touching Zuko’s. Zuko was definitely awake.

“We should do something,” he blurted out.

“More Mario Kart?” Sokka whispered.

“No. My eyes hurt. Something different.”

“An activity?”

“Yes. An activity.” Why was this so awkward? It had been over a year since Zuko first met Sokka. Why was everything between them so… weird? “The pond.”

Sokka whisper-shouted. “YES. I’m getting my swimsuit.” He stepped over to the door.

“We’re going IN the pond?” Zuko trailed after him.

“You can heat it, can’t you?” Sokka turned around, walking backwards to his room. 

“Yes, but-” The door to Sokka’s room shut, cutting off his last sentence. Zuko grumbled, shuffling through his drawers for his swim trunks. This had better be worth it.

Sokka was waiting for him outside. He slid the glass door closed with a click, and followed Sokka on the trail they had gone on just that morning. Was it really that morning? It felt something like three chapters ago. That didn’t make sense. Zuko shook his head to get the thought out. 

Sokka was much more excited. He ran around the side of the house to check if Katara was still up, then back to Zuko with a thumbs up. The pair laughed and continued on the trail. Zuko cupped a flame in his hands to light their way. “This might sound kind of weird.”

Sokka stepped to his side. “What is it?”

“I’ve never been swimming before.”

“Stop.” Sokka stopped dead in his tracks. 

Zuko laughed. “I haven’t!”

Sokka tilted his head. “Never.”

“Never!”

“That does sound weird! What did you even do on Ember Island as a kid?”

“Make sandcastles and practice bending, I guess.”

“That sounds like the most boring vacation ever.”

Zuko laughed. He was shivering, and he couldn’t tell if it was from the night air or excitement.

“Why do you have a swimsuit, then?”

“I’m not going to be that guy at the beach with, what, khakis?”

“Pfff.” Sokka rolled his eyes and threw his arm around Zuko. They had reached the boulder overlooking the pond. Sokka shifted his swimsuit and towel to one arm and held the other to Zuko, who gratefully accepted. They made their way down the steep cliff, one step at a time.

The pond had a little beach of gravel opposing the cliff. There were cracks in the limestone where trails of water trickled through, shining in the moonlight. Zuko waded into the water. Yep. It was freezing.

Sokka had already changed into his trunks and was pulling his makeshift tank top off. Zuko looked away, focusing on warming the water. He felt his stomach get warm, then the warmth flow through his feet and into the water, which started boiling around his ankles. In a few minutes, the whole pond was fairly comfortable. Zuko could even see some wisps of steam floating off the top. He stepped out of the water and pulled his shirt off as well, stepping into the clear water. 

“Do you even know how to swim, then?” Sokka was about knee-deep in the water. 

Zuko crossed his arms over his chest, pulling his feet through the pond. “I can float." He splashed around a bit. "How deep is this, anyway? Shouldn’t be more than six feet.”

“You’ll live.” Sokka splashed some water at Zuko. Zuko splashed back. “If Katara was here, she’d drown us.”

“Not up for that today.” Zuko sat in the sand, letting the warmth envelop him. He was kneeling so that only his head was peeking out of the water. Sokka held his nose and jumped entirely underwater, flipping his hair out of his face when he came back up. Zuko had to admit, he did look much better with his hair down. The water got a little hotter near Zuko’s hands. Why was this happening?

Zuko was entirely unprepared for the wave of water coming directly towards his face.

He spit out water, shaking his head to get his hair drier. “What was that for?”

“I’m not gonna be the only one with wet hair here. I get lonely.” 

“You do?” Zuko walked a little closer to Sokka, who was in a deeper section of the pond. He leaned forward into the water, pushing his way closer to him.

“Well…” Sokka looked up at the moon. Zuko’s fingers made their way to Sokka’s shell necklace. 

“I didn’t mean to make it weird.”

“It’s not weird.”

This silence wasn’t a sleepy one. It wasn’t stiff, or awkward. It was carried by the lap of gentle waves, the chirp of crickets, and the occasional flash of a firefly. More and more of those lightning bugs were making their way out into the night, and soon, the pond was surrounded by warm, golden flashes. They shone in Sokka’s eyes, flecks of gold against his silver gaze. The boys were much closer now.

Two solid, hazel hands gripped Zuko’s waist.

And two soft, hazel lips brushed his.

The water began to boil. The pair jumped apart, Zuko pulling his hands out of the water. “I’m so sorry--” they blurted in unison. 

“You first-”

“No, go ahead-”

“Oh, okay-” Zuko shook his hands, hoping to calm down the flames licking his fingertips. “Sorry I scalded you.”

“It’s okay.” It wasn’t really. Sokka waited for Zuko’s hands to extinguish. “I’m sorry I kissed you.”

“Don’t apologize.” Zuko could feel how hot his face was without even thinking. 

“Really? It was super rude of me not to ask.”

“I liked it better like that.” Zuko sank back into the water.

Sokka was standing like he didn’t know what to do. “Oh.” He sat down as well. The boys looked at each other across the water. 

It was another silence, one broken and haphazardly stitched back together. Sokka glided towards the other boy until their shoulders were touching. He took Zuko’s hand, rubbing his calloused thumb over the soft back. Zuko leaned closer, dropping his head on Sokka’s shoulder. Drops of water slid off his hair and onto Sokka’s back and chest. They made their way into the water with a splash.

“What are you going to do about Suki?” Zuko looked back up into that icy stare, which seemed to finally be melting.

“I don’t know.” 

The final soft silence continued into the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two bros, chilling in a hot tub...
> 
> i have been wanting to publish this chapter since i started the fic. and now i finally have an outline!! lots of feels and good gay shit planned for future chapters ;)
> 
> this is the part where i tell you to check out my other fics, Kids to You and Flight of the Elements (exciting things planned for that latter one, too!)


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